Wisconsin Pictures

Here are a few pictures of what we did in Wisconsin this Christmas break. We arrived at Al's parents on Monday before Christmas. There was approximately 12" on the ground, but shortly after arriving the clouds opened up and the snow came down in full force!





Snow man building...


and skiing...

We went skiing at Nordic Mountain the last day we were there. This was Callan's first time, she did great! Dalton was hooked on the thrill of the big hills. I took my time and enjoyed the scenery.


and snow angels...


and more snow angels...

and sledding!

Thanks to everyone for a great time!

Merry Belated Christmas!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays, we definately are having fun. Waupaca has received record snowfall for the December dating back to 1887 - WOW!! I think they have received approximately 50" so far this month with 6 more inches expected tonight. The kids have been sledding and making snowmen - what a great Christmas. When I get home and situated, I'll post pictures of our fun activities. Have a safe and happy new year!

Good Samaritan Sued???

I am not sure what this world is coming to when a good samiritan gets sued. I would hate to think that in order for someone to help another human being, they would have to check with local and state laws as well as have them sign a waiver of liability before helping someone in distress. Being a nurse, I always felt I was somewhat protected from lawsuits as long as there was not an exchange of money. Obviously I was very wrong.

Isn't she sweet!

Here is 2 week old Paula. I saw this picture and felt I had to share with all of you. Enjoy!

clipped from news.yahoo.com

Snow in Huntington, Texas

I can't believe we had snow this week. Again, I was reminded why I do not leave where it snows regularly - I can't drive! I am terrified to drive in snow, partly because falling snow while driving makes me dizzy and partly because I am constantly afraid I will end up in a ditch.

Dalton's 14th Birthday Party

I can't believe my baby is fixin' to be 14 years old! Where has the time gone? For his party, Dalton decided he wanted a couple friends to spend the night and watch movies and play video games all night long. For his birthday dinner, Dalton picked hamburgers on the grill and chocolate cake with chocolate and peanut butter frosting - YUMMY!

They had a really good time!

Bush Shoe Incident - 2 shoes thrown at President Bush during press conference in Iraq

I am really surprised Bush didn't take off his own shoes and throw them at the journalist being the tactful president that he is. I bet it crossed his mind, though!

Launching the Next Century of Girl Scouts in Houston, Texas

This is too cool! I can't wait to take the girls.

Alvin and The Chipmunks - The Christmas Song - movie scene

Winter Sucks!!!

Pretty Sunrise and Sunset...

Two things I miss about living out west are the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I took these pictures on separate days. The first one was an amazing sunrise yesterday morning. I could not pass up this photo opportunity, so I ran across our road in my PJ's. I am hoping the neighbors did not see because they might think I was losing my mind ( :



The second picture was a couple of Saturdays ago. We were returning from a pig auction and I had Al pull over so Callan and I could take pictures.

We just don't get sunrises and sunsets like these very often so I thought I would share my pictures with you all.

Evil Pig

Why ice fishing sucks

Dalton showed me this video - WOW, he got a bite!

Christmas Pictures

Yesterday morning I decided to round up the kids and go on a "photo shoot" for Christmas card pictures. We drove to Lufkin and found some pretty cool backgrounds using the old buildings in downtown. It was rather cold and extremely windy, but the kids did good and I think Dalton (who hates pictures) had the most fun, he kept spotting out the brick walls he wanted for backgrounds. The "photo shoot" was fun for me because I love taking pictures, but also had a nice walking tour of old downtown. Here's some of the pictures I took:







This was the last picture I took of them, I'm thinking maybe they were tired of taking pictures. What do you think?

Heeeere's Roxy!

Isn't she cute!!!

Well, I have managed to adopt another dog. She is an English bulldog and her name is Roxy. We think she is around 3 years old and the vet gave her a clean bill of health. I probably could have figured that out just by her personality - she's rather spunky and violently obsessed with squeaky toys!

Callan's wish list

new strings for my guitar
Nintendo Wii
new games for my Nintendo DS



I will add more later if I want some more stuff

Stone Patio and Callan's Photo Exhibit

Well, as usually we are busy with multiple projects. We were lucky enough to receive a lot of flagstone for FREE and decided to build a stone patio and firepit off the back deck. Here are some pictures:

Before we started.

We are about halfway through in this picture.

The kids are enjoying the firepit. That evening we had roasted hotdogs and marshmallows on our new firepit. YUM! We were almost done in this picture, but ran out of stone. We are going to have to buy just a few more stone to complete the project.

Callan displayed her butterfly photo in an exhibit at the Museum of East Texas. The exhibit displayed area 4H kids' pictures. We are so proud of Callan!

Southern Hushpuppy Championships...

Last Saturday, Callan and 3 others from the Huntington 4H competed in the Southern Hushpuppy Championships. They did not place, but did a wonderful job the hushpuppies. They were YUMMY! The kids theme was Huntington 4H SuperHeroes.

(Callan is on the left with the black mask)

Why God Made Moms...

I found this on the internet, and thought it was too cute. Enjoy!

Why God Made Moms...

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic; they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Dye it. You know her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Strawberry Meth...

I came across some disturbing information last night that I wanted to share. There seems to be a new form of crystal meth that is targeting children. Officials state that the new meth smells and tastes like strawberry candy. The crystal meth is packaged to look like pop rocks or pixie sticks which is extremely appealing the kids. Anyone who reads this make sure to get the word out. Remember - Halloween is coming, double check the candy!

Hitchcock's Ninja Cat

I stumbled upon this video tonight and thought I would share it all of you. Each time I watch the video, I can't help but chuckle to myself. Enjoy!

Post Hurricane Ike

Sorry it has been so long since I posted last. Hurricane Ike did a number around here, but things are finally starting to get back to normal. We had a lot of roofs blown off, down trees, and power lines in the area. We were without power for six days, but had a generator so we were able to have lights, TV, and keep our food frozen. If there was one lesson learned from Hurricane Rita in 2005, it was to prepare for the worst. I'll post area pictures soon.

Hello Ike!

You know - if you can get past the terror and devastation that Hurricane Ike may bring, it truly is a massive, yet beautiful display of mother nature. I would much rather see this out far, far away from any civilization; however, we are not going to be so lucky. I guess I'll look at the positive side of this storm; it's not very often one can experience a major hurricane. I thought that Rita would have been our one and only hurricane experience - What was I thinking???? Well, I guess I'll go and finish preparations. My next posting will include area pictures of what Ike brought us. Wish us luck!

Cool Website to Monitor Ike

Tonight I was checking City of Lufkin website and came across a link to the coolest website. VueTOO has all different views of Ike as well as advisories all on one page. Check it out - Very cool!!!

Bubba broke some bones...

Well, if you didn't already know DJ broke his arm. He was riding his bike with friends and his bike went one way and he went the other. We can't figure out how to get the real picture from the xray CD on here, but we found one that looked liked his breaks. Along with the crack in his radius, he also broke the little point off the ulna.

Lufkin Middle School Medical Clinic

I came across an interesting article about Lufkin Middle School offering a health clinic for it's students. The idea was mainly geared towards students with little to no health insurance. Kudos to Lufkin ISD!

Sunday's Hurricane Ike Update

For some reason I feel compelled to write about the hurricanes this year. I think maybe it somehow makes me feel in control of such as uncontrollable situation. The latest projected map from the National Hurricane Center shows Ike heading straight into the Gulf in between Mom and Dad's Fulton house (#2 on the map) and us (#1 on the map). Yipes!

More updates to come...

Hurricane Ike

OK... I guess I am starting to feel somewhat stressed out again over where Ike is going to go. I am hoping it doesn't hit the same areas Gustav did. Maybe it will just dissipate before it gets to the Gulf (wishful thinking).

DJ's Birthday and Christmas Wish List

OK... Here it is, the newly published wish list of Sir Dalton:

PlayStation 2 in black

PS2 Analog Controller (non-rumble)

ATV Offroad Fury 4

God of War II (PS2)
Datel Max Memory 32/16 (the 16 MB comes with it) MB (PS2) (+$5.00)
go to walmart.com search playstation 2Customer's Choice Value Bundle the one with the bullets come with it the other two you have to choose i went through and picked the one I wanted them are the one i want all that is $174.
cabelas big game hunter wii
spyro dawn of the dragon wii
smash bros. brawl wii
flat screen tv small like 22in

To be continued...

We decided to plant 150 trees this year!

Did I get your attention? I was researching electric companies when I came across Green Mountain Electric Co. I did some checking on the company and decided to switch from TXU Electric to Green Mountain. The price was slightly higher per kWh, but I think it is worth it if we are purchasing 100% pollution free energy (85% hydro, 15% wind). The company states that 2,500 lbs of CO2 will be avoided; this is equivalent to 150 trees planted or 2,800 miles not driven. WOW!!!

Al is somewhat apprehensive because of the change, but I feel good about the decision. I am hoping the company is customer friendly and there will be no problems with the delivery of energy or the switch over. I will keep you all posted.

I think I looove my new detergent!

As you all have probably noticed by now that I am trying to live more green. I think I have finally found the best green laundry detergent: Purex Natural Elements. Purex has made a green product that is easy on the pocketbook. I got this info from the Purex website:

• 100% Natural Cleaning Ingredients
• Concentrated, less waste, better for the environment
• Biodegradable formula
• Recyclable packaging
• Free of dyes

I have been using the the melon & apple scent; which I loooove!

Gustav Update

So far so good. All we seem to be getting so far is wind and a nice steady rain. Last night before I went to bed I walked around; it was beautiful outside. The temperature made me want Fall to get here even faster. The kids are mad because school wasn't canceled - oh well. I'll keep you all posted as Gustav gets closer.

DJ's New Room!

Well... we are finally finished with DJ's room redo! Dalton originally wanted a black room. YUCK! After days of decision making and negotiating, take a look at the finished product. I was able to get the black in his room without it overpowering the room. He also wanted some red which turned out really nice and tied in his love of Texas A&M.

I sewed some WalMart special $3 sheets and made a curtain cover for his closet. Eventually we'll add some closet doors, but he DJ really likes the curtains.

Al painted his old desk and made it into his entertainment center. I still need to paint a piece of thin plywood and put it under his desk in front of the wires to camouflage them.

Another shot of the entertainment center and "reading area" as DJ calls it.

DJ wanted his bed low to the floor, so Al built a platform to put it on. The platform is solid so nothing can get shoved underneath.

Another view of DJ chillin' out in his new room. DJ says it's sweeeet!

OK... I changed my mind

I thought that we would attempt to go to the Gulf this weekend, but after seeing lines of cars at gas stations, no gas at pumps, and the beginning of total chaos, I changed my mind. I guess Hurricane Rita traumatized me, but I didn't realize it until saw panic setting into the community. I guess I'm not the only one who was traumatized. I'll keep you all updated as the storm nears.

Taking a chance...

Well, I've been watching Gustav and I am thinking (more like hoping) we are in the clear. We are going to go ahead and meet mom and dad in Fulton for a fun filled weekend of fishing and relaxing. Can't wait! My next posting will be of that record breaking catch.

First day of school...

Monday was the first day of class for all of us. Every year it gets a little harder to get the kids to cooperate for pictures. Oh well, they will get over it. I can't believe Dalton is an 8th grader and Callan a 5th grader. Where has the time gone??? Before I know it, they will be leaving for college.


This weekend we are planning on meeting Mom and Dad at their in Fulton, but we are watching Hurricane Gustov. We are hoping it will just go away, but know that will never happen.


More to come...

Helpful hint of the day...

I wanted to share with all of you a cool thing I discovered a few months back - Vinegar.

Put vinegar in the rinse agent compartment of your dishwasher instead of Jet-Dry. Your dishes come out squeaky clean.

Make your own fabric softener with vinegar, water, and hair conditioner. I use an old Downy softener bottle; mix equal parts vinegar and water with approximately 2 cups of cheap hair conditioner, and Voila! You have an awesome fabric softener that leaves you clothes smelling and feeling great without the residue that is left behind from store bought fabric softeners.

Pour some straight vinegar in and on the sides of the toilet bowl, let sit for 15-20 minutes, scrub, and you are left with a clean toilet.

Make you own Windex by filling a spray bottle with approximately 1 cup of vinegar, 1 teaspoon dish soap, and the rest of the bottle with water. I like to use this in the bathrooms because I can clean the mirrors and counters with the same non-toxic solution.

I hope these suggestions help you all get a little closer to living cleaner, greener, more non-toxic lives.

More to come...

Just For Laughs - Snake in Mall

Callan introduced me to these videos, they are pretty funny!

UT Marine Center Open House

This is a belated posting, but wanted to share part of our summer vacation with you all.

In June, University of Texas Marine Center in Port Aransas held an open house. Mom, Dalton, Callan, and I went and have an awesome time. They took us out on different boats in the bay to learn about marine life. The kids enjoyed to touch tanks on the boat. Mom enjoyed the boat ride by the Lydia Ann lighthouse. I enjoyed the boat rides themselves the best. What a wonderful opportunity UT gives the public by opening their doors once a year. We had a blast!

Thanks UT Marine Center!

Smiley face on the beach at Mustang Island.

The kids at the end of a long, hot day at UT Marine Center.

Mom and the kids on one of the boat rides that went by the Lydia Ann Lighthouse.

Lydia Ann Lighthouse, Aransas Pass, Texas

More to come...